Can Florida Get By Without Burdines?

RETAIL

Federated Department Stores, owner of Macy's and Burdines, is considering such a move to save money and to cash in on the popularity of Macy's, which Federated acquired in 1994.

The company has already converted some of its other chains, including Jordan Marsh, Broadway Stores, Abraham & Straus and Bullocks, into Macy's, Bloomingdale's or Stern's. And Cynthia Cohen Turk, a South Florida retail consultant, said a Burdines-Macy's conversion is a matter of when, not if.

Federated spokeswoman Carol Sanger said the company's plan is to make the most of its internationally recognized nameplates: Bloomingdale's and Macy's. And consolidation was an easy choice for some of the company's struggling chains, such as Jordan Marsh.

But no decision has been made on Burdines, which has ingrained itself in Florida culture, she said. Burdines stores are pure Florida, from the pink art deco palm trees to the dolphin, shell and starfish mosaics.

Merchandise is tailored to the Florida lifestyle. And the company's logo even includes the tagline: ''The Florida Store.''

Macy's, on the other hand, is strongly identified with its flagship store in New York and its Thanksgiving Day parade.

Other analysts, however, say Federated has more to lose than gain from such a move.

''My feeling is they have built that brand name so well, they wouldn't see much value in changing it to Macy's,'' said Bart Weitz, director of the Center for Retailing Education and Research at the University of Florida.

Herbert Leeds, a retail consultant in Miami, also is betting against consolidation, especially in South Florida, where Burdines, Macy's and Bloomingdale's can be found in the same mall.

It is unlikely, he said, that two Macy's stores in the same mall would do as much business as a Burdines and a Macy's. And closing a location would only make room for a competitor, such as Dillard's, eager to steal market share from Federated.

''Anything is possible, but it's not logical,'' Leeds said. ''All of the moves they have made (with other consolidations) have been to improve market share. In this situation, they run the risk of diluting market share. Federated is too smart for that.''

BUILDING SUCCESS. Daytona Beach native Larry Mercer is moving up in the world - literally and figuratively.

Mercer, 49, now of Winter Park, was promoted to executive vice president of The Home Depot Inc. earlier this year. He and his wife, Lynn Mercer, will be moving to Atlanta, where the company is based.

Mercer opened the first Orlando-area Home Depot store - in Altamonte Springs - in 1982. He advanced quickly, heading up the company's expansion into the Northeast and Canada.

For the past several years, he has been living in New Jersey, running the regional office there. His family stayed behind in Central Florida to allow his sons to finish high school.

Although they are leaving, the Mercers plan to keep their house in Winter Park.

''We'll probably retire there,'' he said.

WHAT IS IT? What the heck is the Rouse Co. building out Oviedo way?

A peek in the pot finds department stores, upscale restaurants, a food court and a collection of large specialty stores, known as a power center, all mixed in the stew.

Rouse officials say it's a little something they've whipped up especially for Oviedo: A regional mall that doubles as a neighborhood shopping center.

But The Marketplace at Oviedo Crossing comes along at a time when power centers are gaining ground on conventional malls. And there's the possibility that potential Rouse mall shoppers could be diverted by a competing mall planned at Waterford Lakes, eight miles away.

Waterford Lakes has lined up Dillard's, Burdines, Parisian and Sears.

Rouse has Dillard's and Gayfers and is negotiating with several midsize stores, including Jacobson's, and several superstore chains that specialize in sports goods, books and housewares.

Rouse hopes to spice up the mix with some of the tricks it learned doing anchorless malls, or ''festival'' centers. Rouse pioneered such centers, which draw shoppers with fanciful architecture, live entertainment and unusual restaurants and shops.

''I think it's going to feel more like the specialty centers we've done like Bayside (in Miami) or Jacksonville Landing,'' said Mike Bryant, project manager for The Marketplace.

Rouse has scheduled a groundbreaking for The Marketplace on April 3. Crews have already begun to clear the site for construction.